What Are Lions' Playoff Chances After Loss to Steelers?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Dec 21, 2025 8:10 PM ET

Jared Goff did everything he could for the Detroit Lions on Sunday as they faced off against Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback registered 34-of-54 completed passes for 365 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. It still wasn’t enough, though, as the Lions suffered a brutal loss, 29-24.

Goff also would have scored a game-winning touchdown right at the end, except that it was called off after the referees called an offensive pass interference on the play. This resulted in a heartbreaking loss for Detroit and a significant blow to its playoff chances this season.

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff celebrates with his teammates. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What Are Lions' Playoff Chances After Loss to Steelers?

The Lions fell to 8-7 after losing their second straight game on Sunday. They have fallen further back in the NFC North, behind the 11-4 Chicago Bears and the 9-5-1 Green Bay Packers. As of writing, Detroit is eighth in the conference with two games remaining.

According to the NFL' Playoff Picture prediction model, the Lions entered Sunday's contest with just a 10% chance of securing a playoff berth. A win would have increased their postseason odds to 41%, representing a massive jump in their chances. Unfortunately for them, Sunday’s loss has dropped their playoff chances to just 6%.

Up next for the Detroit Lions is a matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. It's a short week for Detroit as they return to action on Christmas Day against an NFC North rival. Goff and Co. will be on the road, too, with kickoff from U.S. Bank Stadium scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.

The Lions will close out their season with a Week 18 showdown against another division rival, the Chicago Bears, on Sunday, Jan. 4.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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